भवेतां दिव्यरूपे वां गङ्गया संगते यदा तच्छापात् ते नदीरूपे तत्क्षणात् संबभूवतुः
When you both, with divine forms, met with the Ganga, by that curse you instantly became river-forms.
अप्सरोयुगम् आख्यातं नदीद्वयम् अतो ऽभवत् ताभ्यां परस्परं चापि ताभ्यां गङ्गासुसंगमः
That pair of apsaras became known as two rivers; from them came mutual union, and from them the meeting with the Ganga and Asu.
सर्वलोकेषु विख्यातो भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदः शिवः तत्रास्ते दृष्ट एवासौ सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकः
Throughout all worlds, he is renowned as Shiva, bestower of enjoyment and liberation; he resides there, visibly granting all attainments.
तत्र स्नात्वा तु तं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते सर्वबन्धनात्
There, by bathing and seeing him, one is freed from all bonds.
कोटितीर्थम् इति ख्यातं गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तटे यस्यानुस्मरणाद् एव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Known as Koṭitīrtha, on the southern bank of the Ganga, merely remembering it releases one from all sins.
यत्र कोटीश्वरो देवः सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत् कोटिद्वयं तत्र पूर्णं तीर्थानां शुभदायिनाम्
Where the deity Koṭīśvara exists, everything becomes multiplied a crore-fold; there, two crores are fully present among the auspicious bestowers of holy places.
तत्र व्युष्टिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद तन्मनाः कण्वस्य तु सुतो ज्येष्ठो बाह्लीक इति विश्रुतः
There, I will declare the story; listen attentively, O Nārada. The eldest son of Kaṇva, famed as Bāhlīka.
काण्वश् चेति जनैः ख्यातो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः इष्टीः पार्वायणानीर् याः सभार्यो वेदपारगः
Kaṇva, renowned among people, mastered the Vedas and their limbs; he performed rituals and sacrifices with his wife, accomplished in the Vedas.
कुर्वन्न् आस्ते स गौतम्यास् तीरस्थो लोकपूजितः प्रातःकाले सभार्यो ऽसौ जुह्वद् अग्नौ समाहितः
He dwelled on the bank of the Gautamī, honored by the world, performing morning offerings with his wife, focused, sacrificing into the fire.
सर्वदास्ते कदाचित् तु हवनाय समुद्यतः एकाहुतिं स हुत्वा तु समिद्धे हव्यवाहने
He always remained, sometimes preparing for sacrifice; having offered one oblation into the kindled sacrificial fire.
आहुत्यन्तरदानाय हविर् द्रव्यं करे ऽग्रहीत् एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे वह्निर् उपशान्तो ऽभवत् तदा
For giving the next oblation, he took the sacrificial material in his hand; meanwhile, the fire became extinguished at that moment.
ततश् चिन्तापरः काण्वः कर्तव्यं किं भवेद् इति अन्तर् विचारयाम् आस विषादं परमं गतः
Then Kaṇva, absorbed in thought, wondered what should be done; he deliberated within, reaching great distress.
आहुत्योश् च द्वयोर् मध्य उपशान्तो हुताशनः अग्न्यन्तरम् उपादेयं वैदिकं लौकिकं तथा
Between the two oblations, the sacrificial fire was extinguished; another fire should be obtained, both Vedic and worldly.
क्व होष्यं स्याद् द्वितीयं तु आहुत्यन्तरम् एव च एवं मीमांसमाने तु दैवी वाग् अब्रवीत् तदा
Where should the second oblation be offered, and where should the next fire be obtained? As he pondered thus, a divine voice spoke at that moment.
अग्न्यन्तरं नैव ते ऽत्र उपादेयं भविष्यति यानि तत्र भविष्यन्ति शकलानि समीपतः
You must not obtain another fire here; whatever fragments remain nearby will suffice.
अर्धदग्धेषु काष्ठेषु विप्रराज प्रहूयताम् नेत्य् उवाच तदा काण्वः सैव वाग् अब्रवीत् पुनः
When the wood is half-burnt, O king of Brahmins, offer the oblation; Kaṇva said 'No,' but the same divine voice spoke again.
अग्नेः पुत्रो हिरण्यस् तु पिता पुत्रः स एव तु पुत्रे दत्तं प्रियायैव पितुः प्रीत्यै भविष्यति
The son of Agni is Hiraṇya; the father is also the son; what is given to the son, for the beloved, will be for the father's pleasure.
पित्रे देयं सुते दद्यात् कोटिप्रीतिगुणं भवेत् दैवी वाग् अब्रवीद् एवं ततः सर्वे महर्षयः
One should give to the father, and the son should give; it will be multiplied a crore-fold in delight. Thus spoke the divine voice, and then all the great sages.
निश्चित्य धर्मसर्वस्वं तथा चक्रुर् यथोदितम् एतज् ज्ञात्वा जगत्य् अत्र पुत्रे दत्तं पितुर् भवेत्
Having determined the entirety of righteousness, they acted as prescribed; knowing this, in this world, what is given to the son becomes the father's.
अपत्याद्युपकारेण पित्रोः प्रीतिर् यथा भवेत् तथा नान्येन केनापि जगत्य् एतद् धि विश्रुतम्
By the benefit of offspring and the like, the affection of the parents arises as it should; not by any other means in this world—this is well known.
सुप्रसिद्धं जगत्य् एतत् सर्वलोकेषु पूजितम् तस्मिन् दत्ते भवेत् पुण्यं सर्वं कोटिगुणं सुत
This is well established in the world, honored in all realms; when given there, all merit becomes multiplied a hundred million times, O son.
मनोग्लानिनिवृत्तिश् च जायते च महत् सुखम् पुनर् अप्य् आह सा वाणी काण्वे ऽस्मिंस् तीर्थ उत्तमे
Relief from mental fatigue arises, and great happiness is born; again, that word was spoken at this excellent Kanva ford.
अभवत् तन् महत् तीर्थं काण्व पुण्यप्रभावतः लोकत्रयाश्रयाशेषतीर्थेभ्यो ऽपि महाफलम्
That became a great ford, O Kanva, by the power of its merit; it yields greater fruit than all the fords in the three worlds.
स्नानदानादिकं किंचिद् भक्त्या कुर्वन् समाहितः फलं प्राप्स्यस्य् अशेषेण सर्वं कोटिगुणं मुने
Whatever is done there—bathing, giving, and the like—with devotion and concentration, you will obtain all the fruit in full, multiplied a hundred million times, O sage.
यत् किंचित् क्रियते चात्र स्नानदानादिकं नरैः सर्वं कोटिगुणं विद्यात् कोटितीर्थं ततो विदुः
Whatever is performed here by people—bathing, giving, and the like—know that all of it is multiplied a hundred million times; therefore, it is called the Hundred Million Ford.
यत्रैतद् वृत्तम् आग्नेयं काण्वं पौत्रं हिरण्यकम् वाणीसंज्ञं कोटितीर्थं कोटितीर्थफलं यतः
Where this event concerning Agneya, Kanva, and the golden grandson named Vani occurred, that is the Hundred Million Ford, for it yields the fruit of a hundred million fords.
कोटितीर्थस्य माहात्म्यम् अत्र वक्तुं न शक्यते वाचस्पतिप्रभृतिभिर् अथवान्यैः सुरैर् अपि
The greatness of the Hundred Million Ford cannot be expressed, even by Vachaspati and others, or by any other gods.
यत्रानुष्ठीयमानं हि सर्वं कर्म यथा तथा गोदावर्याः प्रसादेन सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्
Whatever act is performed here, in whatever manner, by the grace of the Godavari, all becomes multiplied a hundred million times.
कोटितीर्थे द्विजाग्र्याय गाम् एकां यः प्रयच्छति तस्य तीर्थस्य माहात्म्याद् गोकोटिफलम् अश्नुते
Whoever gives a single cow to a foremost twice-born at the Hundred Million Ford, by the greatness of that ford, attains the fruit of a hundred million cows.
तस्मिंस् तीर्थे शुचिर् भूत्वा भूमिदानं करोति यः श्रद्धायुक्तेन मनसा स्यात् तत्कोटिगुणोत्तरम्
Whoever, having become pure at that ford, gives land with a mind endowed with faith, attains a result multiplied a hundred million times.